Legend of Syaoran
by Aspirator
Summary: He is friends with the spirit of the trees. He is an enemy of the invaders. He is the protector of the jungle's secrets. He is the magic that surrounds the jungle. He has only one name, and there is only one way to describe him. Syaoran. / AU MAGIC
1. Prologue

_Inspired by the new Legend of Tarzan movie. Here is my mystical, fantastical (modern) rendition._

 _/_ ** _DISCLAIMED_** _/ CCS, LEGEND OF TARZAN (2016) , DISNEY TARZAN (1999), DISNEY TARZAN & JANE (2002), (original) TARZAN BY EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS / yes, I might've done a lot of "research"._

* * *

 **LEGEND OF SYAORAN**

The jungle is wild, there is no law, there is no discipline. It is eat or get eaten. There is only the prey and the predator.

Except for _him_. He is the guardian of the jungle. Protector of the realm. He is the fog that settles over the trees. He is the thunder that rolls over the mangrove. He is the rain the feeds the fauna. He is the wind rustling in the leaves. He is the magic that surrounds the jungle.

He is not the god of the jungle. The jungle is still untamed, brimming with magical energy. He is not an animal of the jungle. He is certainly not a prey or a predator. He is not merciful or kind. But he is not to be feared. He serves the smallest parrot, rescuing the injured bird. He serves the most dangerous panther, preventing only the unnecessary slaughters.

He is friends with the spirit of the trees. He is an enemy of the invaders, the people that come to steal resources that belong to the jungle. He is protector of the jungle's secrets.

He has only one name, and there is only one way to describe him.

 _Syaoran._

* * *

"The Legend of the Jungle." Fujitaka Kinomoto concluded with a tone of finality and closed the book gently. He offered a gentle smile to his children, who gazed up at him with their full attention.

Her bright eyes looked wonderingly up at her father, "does he really have magic?"

"Of course!"

Sakura gasped in delight, looking down at her own hands. "Do _I_ have magic?"

"No, stupid!" Touya crossed his arms, stubbornly ignoring his father's stern gaze. "Our family has not an ounce of magic!"

"We don't?" Sakura asked in disbelief. Fujitaka confirmed her question with a shake of his head. "Not grandpa?" Another shake. "Not great-great-great-grandpa?" A sad frown.

"Only few people in England have magic now!" Touya sat up straight to show off his knowledge, bringing out his little fingers and shoving three at her. "the Duke of Abbington, the crazy guy that lives at Hertfordshire - " another stern look, "and -"

"The Queen!" Sakura cut in with delight.

"-the royal family." Touya finished triumphantly.

"Is the Queen the most powerful?"

"It's the crazy guy at Hertfordshire!" Touya cut in.

"Of all time?"

"Oh no, dear," Fujitaka smiled, "the most powerful magician _ever_ was the great Clow, but that's a story for another time."

"But-"

"Time for bed." Fujitaka scooped the youngling into his arms, sending another stern look at his son. "You too, Touya."

The children pouted and whined and bickered but eventually, they were sent off to bed. Sakura was tucked in despite her obvious excitement.

As soon as their father's gentle footsteps faded down the hall, Sakura lept out of her small bed, messing up the carefully arranged sheets. She hurdled into Touya's room, jumping onto his bed with a loud 'shh!' as he attempted to shout at her (though he fully expected it).

"Sakura!" Touya reprimended as sternly as a child could. "Leave me alone!"

"But-but-but why wasn't Clow on your list? You were wrong!" Sakura tugged at Touya's sheets, "and I like your blankie better!"

"Clow's dead!" Touya answered, snatching his blankets out of her grasp, "you have your own blankets!"

Shocked into stillness, the little girl sat down - unfortunately for Touya - right on his stomach. "What? I thought magicians were immortal!"

"No, monster," Touya sighed, voice strained as he shoved his sister off of him, "they just die slower. Magicians live to be 1,000 and we humans live to be 80 if we're lucky."

Sakura remined quiet, unperturbed by Touya's shoves. "But…" her eyes were big and wide as they turned to meet his, freezing her brother in place, "Mum died when she was 27."

Touya, only a child, didn't know what to do. Finally, he sighed, "fine, you can sleep next to me but no kicking."

Delighted and distracted, Sakura crawled under his comforters and snuggled into his pillow, nearly pushing Touya off the small bed.

"I said no kicking!"

In the morning, Fujitaka always wondered why he put so much effort into tucking the hyper Sakura in her bed when she somehow winds up in Touya's. And Touya…on the floor.

* * *

 _A botanist, archeologist, and a ranger venture into the Jungle, their fates to be forever changed._

 _There is magic in the Jungle, the most magic anyone has ever seen in centuries._

* * *

"Wait a second - No, wait, Sakura's - WHAT - Eriol and WHO - going WHERE - to do WHAT - I CAN NOT CONDONE THIS!"

"Oh, bugger off," Sakura muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes and redirecting her gaze towards her cousin. Eriol remained placid, smiling nervously but saying nothing to save his own skin. Instead, he kept his mouth full on crumpets with the occasional sip of tea.

"I heard THAT!" Touya whirled on her, shaking an accusatory finger but directing his accusatory gaze at his father. "Father! Please, _Sakura_?"

"Seems interesting." Their absentminded father responded easily, he raised his eyes from the morning paper to give his son a bemused glance, "even I want to go. But alas, a professor has his duties."

"Yes, so does -"

"Dad's a full professor!" Sakura cut in, "I'm a lecturer. There's a difference."

"The difference _is-_ " Touya stabbed into his toast.

At the same time, Sakura cut in, "-I have more free time."

"-you have to work harder-"

The two siblings glared at each other over the teapot.

"It's the _jungle_." Both siblings spoke at the same time. Sakura's emphasis on the word portrayed her delight and fascination. Touya's emphasis on the word portrayed danger and doom.

"Well, _I_ can't go."

"Why do you need to go?" Sakura scowled at her brother. "You're a businessman, what will you do? Devise a market strategy for the distribution of fruits to gorillas?"

Touya scoffed at her taunt. "That is ridiculous. And this is ridiculous. Eriol can't perform a spell to save his life, let alone yours. What would you do when a panther attacks you? Throw books at it?"

"Well, there is that Kei coming with us." Eriol finally spoke up, to semi-defend himself. "He's a wilderness expert. Ish."

Touya turned his glare to his cousin. " _Kei_ ," he spat the word, "doesn't even have magic. Not an ounce. And he cannot be trusted around my _sister_." Touya waved gesturally to indicate that he was referring to Kei's shameless courting of the youngest Kinomoto.

"Eh," Eriol shrugged, "I'll be there." He sipped his tea, then looked up to find himself scrutinized under a skeptical stare. "To prevent him from gaining any ground. Not like Sakura is doing him any favors."

Both young men turned to look at the young woman, who tilted her head sideways cluelessly at their exchange. "Eh?"

Eriol shrugged at the older brother as if to say, 'you see?' Touya made a semi-agreeable grunt. Perhaps Sakura's obliviousness is an advantage on this front. Poor suitors.

After a beat of silence, Dr. Fujitaka Kinomoto set down the morning newspaper with a loud rustle. He sipped his tea gently, then smiled. "I think it's wonderful."

"Of course you do." Touya grumbled under his breath.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 2 rewritten / story has been restructured._

 **LEGEND OF SYAORAN**

When they had arrived in the forest, Kei immediately took charge. Eriol didn't mind him so much, letting him have his way as long as he kept his attentions from Sakura. Speaking of, the archeologist watched his cousin warily as she obliviously went about rifling through her belongings. They had found a suitable camping spot to set up their things. As Sakura turned to fix up her tent, being skilled as she was in the outdoors unlike other women, Eriol shifted his gaze to the other man. Kei had been watching her too, but Eriol did not like the way his gaze bordered on predatory.

The archeologist could not help but sympathize with Touya's grievances regarding his precious little sister and her numerous suitors. He, too, felt a strong surge of protectiveness over his cousin. In a few large strides, he was next to the ranger, hoping to avert his attention.

"What do you think of the Jungle, Kei?" Eriol addressed him lightly.

"They say the jungle itself is the most powerful magician." Kei responded wolfishly, glancing around scandalously, as if the trees and the leaves and squawking birds were listening. Catching Eriol's eye, he locked onto his gaze. "Can you feel it? The magic of the jungle?"

Interest piqued, Eriol paused to listen. He heard the chirps of small animals, rustling of the leaves, and faraway cries of larger predators. Then, there was a low humming, as if the trees were buzzing with energy. The archaeologist dismissed it skeptically. "No," he returned evenly, but he didn't quite believe himself.

Kei smiled, but Eriol felt a pang of suspicion rather than reassurance. "Me neither," he stated with a smile that sparked Eriol's suspicions.

Eriol nodded politely, deciding that he wanted to have a more interesting conversation with a less annoying person. He turned around to speak to his cousin -

-but she was gone.

* * *

A small figure ambled lightly through the hanging fauna, nearly clouded by the mist hanging low. Dazedly, entranced by the mystic forest, the petite woman who had traveled with the three trampled lightly between the trees, coming across a beautiful clearing. The birds above chirped, and the frogs burped. She gasped at the beauty of the flowers that bloomed on the ground, moving to stroke the petals tenderly.

Suddenly, birds caw-ed above her, startling the woman to look up blearily at the rays of light shining through the silhouettes of branches and leaves. She didn't notice a lean shadow settling on the branch the birds just vacated. No, something more pressing on the ground took her attention.

She heard it before she saw it.

 _Hiss…..sss…_

* * *

Above her, the lean figure in the shadows remained still, like a statue.

 _'Who is she?_ ' came a soft lilting whisper, nearly mistaken for the sound of the wind.

The shadow did not acknowledge the presence of his companion, only watching the events unfold below him. He did not so much as stir when a slight breeze picked up and nearly shook the branch he was perched on. No, he did not even move when the mist settled next to him to form a nearly translucent figure. A woman with long, beautiful tresses of black hair trailing behind her dressed with a pure white nightgown.

* * *

There was slow movement from the tree trunk across the clearing from Sakura, as if a reptilian body was detaching itself from the tree. Through the light fog, a small, sharp pink tongue flicked out towards her. Then, the eyes. The bright yellow gaze, wide and gleaming, rooted her to the ground in fright.

 _Ssss….human…._

Sakura backed up slowly, unable to tear her gaze away from those terrible eyes. She jumped in fright when her back touched the tree trunk behind her, nearly tripping over its roots. Stumbling, her hand reached back to steady herself on a small branch.

* * *

"English." The shadow on the branch muttered finally to his companion. His voice full of contempt and annoyance, the thoughts of 'why are they here again' and 'why can't they leave us alone' carried in the vocalization of one word.

There was a brief moment of understanding silence from his companion. Then, _'will you help her?'_

It was an unnecessary question, they both knew.

The shadow leaped down a few more branches, pacing along lithely but did nothing to interfere.

* * *

 _Sss….mine….._

Sakura didn't know how, but with one terrified inhale, the shadowy snake was already halfway across the clearing. There was a soft rustle by her feet, and with wide eyes, Sakura realized that the rest of the snake was already wrapping itself in a circle around her.

Another leap, and the shadowy creature was hanging lithely off of a vine above the frightened woman. Sakura saw in her peripheral vision that an overhanging vine shook with weight, but she didn't dare look up for fear of whatever other predator was out to get her if the snake hadn't gotten her first.

With one more predatorial hiss, the snake reared its head back then -

Sakura closed her eyes, grimacing as she let go of the branch she was just holding onto. To her luck, or perhaps it was her plan all along, the branch whipped forward and smacked the reptile square in the head. Its pink, poisonous tongue whipped out and slashed the tree trunk, missing the woman's skin by scant millimeters.

When the snake's head reared back, partially covered by the fog, Sakura's knees gave out. She crumpled to the ground in a terrified heap. She may have delayed her death, but she certainly did not scare away her predator.

The snake approached again, its yellow eyes narrowed into angry slits. No, she made the reptile angry, very angry.

Sakura flinched at the reptile's approach, flattening herself against the tree trunk in fright, but couldn't find the strength in her knees to stand back up.

The vine above her shook again.

Green eyes wide as saucers, Sakura could only watch helplessly as the snake's body wrapped in a circle around her again, tightening ever so slowly. Then, those eyes came back into view and the tongue was just in front of her, flicking closer...and closer…

Then, everything was a blur.

* * *

 _It's obvious what comes next, isn't it?_


	3. Chapter 2

" _He is no normal man." - Jane, Legend of Tarzan._

 **LEGEND OF SYAORAN**

There was a strong grip on her waist, and wind in her hair, and she was _flying_. With wide eyes, Sakura could barely process what was happening. She was flattened against toned muscles, and barely hanging on as the forest whirled around her.

Before she could even realize that was indeed swinging on a vine with a heroic stranger, she was deposited on top of a branch, steadying herself against the trunk.

Sakura looked down - _gulp_. She was so high above that she couldn't even see the ground, only more trees and foliage. Swallowing thickly and hoping that she not make any false steps, Sakura glanced around at her foggy surroundings, jumping at every shadow that moved. She looked up to see her rescuer, a tall figure clouded slightly by the fog, standing on another branch, a small skip away.

He turned around, making to leave -

"Wait!" Sakura didn't know what came over her then. She ambled forwards, only with a jolt realizing that she was on a _branch_. Stupid, stupid! She berated herself with mixture of horror and fright as she teetered dangerously forwards -

A strong tanned arm shot out to catch her by the shoulder accidentally roughly while Sakura winced. Suddenly, Sakura felt a surge of energy pass through her, as if someone went through her body and turned her insides out.

Next thing she knew, she was shaking her head to clear it of the dizziness, the strong grip still on her shoulder keep her upright, and her feet were resting evenly on solid grass. Sakura looked down at the grass, and the roots of the trees surrounding her, the squirrel that skeetered by.

 _Where was she?_

 _How did she get there?_

 _What just happened?_

Then she looked up at the man who rescued her - twice -

She lost all train of thought, not that she had a logical one in the first place.

He was a majestic human being.

He had bright eyes, eyes like the falling sun, with a golden glow to them. And his hair, wild and mussed but seemingly soft as if floating lightly on his head. He was toned, and Sakura blushed at the thought the she was pressed up against those muscles a short while ago. She blushed again, as she realized that he was hardly dressed, only wrapped in a canvas cloth around his crotch. His leg muscles stretched and flexed as he ambled closer, his golden gaze not tearing from hers.

Sakura breathed out a small exhale, not realizing she had held her breath when her gaze fell upon his. In a tiny whisper, she breathed out, "who...are you?"

The man did not answer, instead he stepped closer, his golden irises gazing deep into her. Sakura felt as if her soul was bare for him to see. Feeling self-conscious, she turned her gaze away, fidgeting and realizing with embarrassment that she was blushing. There was movement by her foot, and Sakura jumped, holding a hand over her heart as evil yellow orbs flashed in her mind's eye. Upon second glance, it was only a small bunny gazing up at her curiously. Sakura, glanced embarrassedly at her saviour, laughing nervously as a furious blush came over her cheeks.

The spell apparently, was over, for the man. For he scowled at the grass, but addressed her snappishly. "Go home." He moved closer, perhaps to intimidate her with his height and...well, everything about him. "You will die here."

"I -" Sakura gasped, a wave of fiery defiance rose within her. "You can't tell me-"

" _I_ ," his words overpowered hers with a flash of angry gold, "tell you," he paused to make sure he had her full attention, "you will not survive the jungle."

Sakura felt a shudder pass through her. To save her own pride, she did not let it show. She pursed her lip to respond irately.

But she never delivered her remark for at that exact moment, come crashing through the trees were the men she had came to the Jungle with. The rescuer lifted his gaze towards them boredly.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Came the angry shout of Kei, the ranger. Or as the jungle native thought, the bigger annoying-looking one with the annoying tools the English always bring. What do they call it? _Rifles._ There he was, waving the thing about as if a toy.

Sakura's saviour only regarded the English ranger with detached annoyance, smoothly putting distance between him and the woman.

Sakura, on the other hand, was overjoyed to see familiar faces. She rushed to Eriol's side, smiling brightly albeit nervously at him. Eriol, completely opposite from the other man's reaction, immediately recognized the stranger for who he was.

"It cannot be…" He muttered lowly, to his companions' confusion. Eriol had turned white as a sheet when he laid eyes on the jungle native. The strange man with the golden eyes.

"What?!" Kei growled at him, but there was something about the way his eyes darted back and forth. A sense of suspicion creased his eyebrows, as if he was beginning to realize the answer himself but he refused to believe it.

"Eriol?" Sakura questioned curiously, her eyes shifting as if watching a tennis match between Eriol and the man. The man seemed to lock eyes with Eriol, knowing what he was referring to, and bracing himself for the reaction.

"It is you, isn't it?" Eriol stepped forward, a sort of gleeful light came into his eyes and he shifted his glassed up his nose to peer at the stranger in delight. "It is! It is true! Oh, it has always been true!"

Kei gripped his rifle tighter as realization dawned on him as well. Eriol's reaction only explained the man as none other than... "It is impossible!"

Sakura only trailed behind her cousin curiously. "Who? Who is he, Eriol?"

"Syaoran…" Eriol breathed, "Amazing…The Legend of the Jungle." He stepped forward again, tentatively, "standing in front of us."

With that one word, both Sakura and Kei turned their wide eyed gazed at the man in speechless shock.

The legend himself scowled under their gazes. He did not like the attention at all. In one swift movement, he had reached up with his strong arms and caught onto the nearest branch. Swinging with agility and experience, he leaped into the foliage and his figure faded from their sight.

"Amazing…" Eriol uttered behind his disappearance.

After that encounter the three traveling companions settled into the night in mostly silence. They ate their dinners deep in their own thoughts, and Sakura was grateful for the men's distraction for she did not want to be questioned on her day's adventure. Suddenly, as they ambled off to their own tents, Kei appeared in front of Sakura's.

Startled, Sakura nearly fell back, not only at his appearance but the wild look in his eyes. "Magic," he pushed the word at her, advancing towards her. "Did you see it?"

"Sakura?" Eriol, too, had suddenly appeared by her side. Sakura wondered briefly if her cousin had some superpower where he could sense her distress and come to her aide immediately. "Kei?" Eriol questioned, trying to pull the man away.

"Um," Sakura's eyes shifted from Kei's wild searching ones to Eriol's concerned ones. She leaned back as Kei ignored Eriol's presence completely.

"Tell me," he insisted, not to be distracted, "did you see him do magic? Did you see magic?"

"Um…" Immediately, Sakura remembered when she was on a branch, and then...she _wasn't_. "Um, I…" She glanced at Eriol in confusion and distress. Eriol seemed to understand immediately, but he could not pull back the ranger.

"Sakura," Kei hissed impatiently.

"I-I don't know…" Sakura heard herself lying, and she didn't know why. She understood, in that moment, that _that_ had to magic. The being in one place, then the surge of energy, then being in someplace else completely. But she couldn't bring herself to tell Kei, or try to explain it. It didn't make sense to her, either. She had never encountered magic. How would she know anyway? Sakura glanced down uncertainly, "I don't know. I've never…"

The wild look gone, Kei leaned back with a sigh. He patted Sakura's head in an odd sort of endearing way. "Sleep well," he muttered, his usual self back. He flashed her a smile, grabbed her hand in a tight grip and placed a light kiss upon it.

Eriol and Sakura were left gazing after him. The former with suspicion and the latter with confusion.

* * *

Above them, Syaoran's lithe figure perched on a branch. He had disappeared into the trees to avoid their gaze but he felt compelled to observe them more. A light mist swirled to his right, revealing the ghostly companion from before.

Her long black locks floated in the air as she settled down lightly next to him, her pale white legs dangling carelessly. Syaoran glanced at her briefly to acknowledge her presence, giving her a rare opportunity to voice her thoughts.

' _I am intrigued.'_ She said simply, smiling at him in a way that said, _I know you are too_.

He grunted, looking down at the trio again. The girl next to him was _Tomoyo_ , a Jungle ghost.


End file.
